Knockdown crate



(No Model.) 2 eeee ts-Sheet 1.

JQ'D. SOOVEL.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

No. 431,287. Patented July 1, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. D. SGOVEL.

KNOGKDOWN GRATB.

No. 431,287. Patented July 1,1890.

Zj'gf 9" 1 Ji f 3 o a if a an INVENTOR I |l WITNEssEsi ii a 1 fly flttorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. SOOVEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,287, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed November 21, 1889- Serial No. 331,101. (No model.)

I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in poultry-crates; and it consists in forming such crate of independent sections and providing said sections with malleable or soft metal straps or clips, by means of which the sections of the crate,when set up, may be securely bound together and held in place, the object being to provide a poultry-crate that may be shipped in the knockdown form, and when desired for use readily set up, affording a light, cheap, and substantial crate. This object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved crate, showing the manner of securing the sections of the crate together by means of the metal straps. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the bottom of the crate. isometrical View of a portion of the crate, showing the sections detached, like parts bein g broken away.

Referring to the letters of reference in the drawings, A represents the top of the crate; (J, the ends; D, the sides, and B the bottom thereof.

The top, ends, and sides of the crate are made of light strips of wood suitably braced. The bottom of the crate is made tight, of thin light material, and is braced and guarded by the horizontal ribs H. (See Fig. 2.)

The top A of the crate is provided with the end cross-pieces n n and center cross-piece n, that secure the slats z" in place, said top also having the sliding gate Z, that affords an opening into the crate. In Fig. 1 said gate is shown open, the dotted lines in same figure Fig. 3 is an showing it in the closed position, which arrangement is common.

The sides D of the crate are provided with the vertical end pieces f f and centerpiecef, that cross the longitudinal slats z" of the side at right angles, and to which said slats are secured at their ends and center. The lower end portions of said verticalor uprightpieces extend below the bottom rail of the side section D, the bottom of the crate being cut out in the edge thereof, as shown at h in Fig. 1, to receive the extended ends of the vertical pieces of the side section, which are fitted therein, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To the inner Face of the side sections D, near each end thereof, is secured the upright strips 1). (See Fig. 3.) Said strips form a shoulder, against which the end sections 0 of the crate rest. The strip 1) stands back from the outer face of the strip f to allow the end section 0 to stand flush with the ends of the side sections, as shown in Fig. 1.

The metal clips or straps to are attached to the outer face of the upright pieces f f and f of the side section D, near each end thereof, and when shipping are in position shown in Fig. 3.

The end sections 0 of the crate are formed like the sides, except that the upright pieces t t and 25 thereof do not extend below the bottom rail 2", but terminate flush therewith, as shown in Fig. 3. The metal straps a are pivotally attached to the upright pieces of the end, those attached to the center piece 15 near each end thereof, and those to the end pieces 15 15 near their center. When the crate is being shipped in the knockdown form the metal strips of the sides and ends are turned in, as shown in Fig. 3, in which. position they are protected from being torn off and do not interfere with close packing of the sections, and when the crate is set up the straps are turned out, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, then bent over, as shown in Fig. 1.

To set up the crate the sides D are placed on the bottom B, the extended ends of the upright pieces of the sides fittinginto the notched or cut-out portions of said bottom. The ends C of the crate rest on the bottom and lit be tween the ends of the sides D. The top A is then placed on the crate and the metal straps a, attached to the upper end of the upright pieces of the side, are bent over onto the crosspieces n. n and h, respectively, of the top, and secured thereto. The straps a, attached to the lower end of the upright pieces of the sides, are bent under and secured to the bottom of the crate. The metal strips 00, attach ed to the upright end pieces '15 f; of the ends 0 of the crate, are bent around and secured to the end pieces f of the sides, and the strap a, that is attached to the upper end of the center piece 6' of the end, is bent over onto the cross-piece n of the top and secured thereto. The strap a, attached to the bottom end of the center piece t of the end, is bent under and secured to the bottom of the crate. The metal straps are secured by means of rivets or screws, whereby the sections of the crate are firmly and securely held together, affording a cheap, light, and substantial crate.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sectional crate consisting of sides, ends, and top formed of slats or open-work,

and a tight bottom, said bottom having" the rails with cut-out portions, the vertical rails of the side sections filling the notches of the I of, and at a point back of the ends of the side rails, the end sections meeting the rails b, the bottoms of the end sections lying upon the base B, and the metal straps pivotally attached to the end and side sections of the crate and bent so as to be secured to the adjacent sections of the crate, said parts operating as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a sectional poultry-crate, the slatted top section, in combination with the tight bottom having the strengthening ribs H, with notches in their outer edges, the side sections, the vertical rails of said sections extending below the bottom rail thereof, said extended portions filling the notches of the base, the end sections having the ends of the rails t t and t terminating" on aline flush with the outer faces of the top and bottom horizontal rails, and the metal'fastenings pivotally mounted on the end and side sections only and bent so as to be secured to the adjacent sections of the crate, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. SOOVEL.

Witnesses:

R. B. WVHEELER, O. '1. WHEELER, 

